


The Curious Case of John Constantine

by michaelfalls



Category: DC's Legends of Tomorrow (TV), Lucifer (TV)
Genre: Crisis on Infinite Earths Crossover Event (CW DC TV Universe), Drinking & Talking, M/M, Mutual Pining, Pre Lucifer S1, Time Travel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-01
Updated: 2020-03-04
Packaged: 2021-02-27 04:29:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 13,928
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22071076
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/michaelfalls/pseuds/michaelfalls
Summary: John Constantine is sent on a mission by the Legends - to recruit Lucifer Morningstar in their fight against the Anti-Monitor. Lucifer isn't being an easy hire and John just wants to spend his last hours not wasting his time.
Relationships: John Constantine/Lucifer Morningstar (Lucifer TV)
Comments: 47
Kudos: 325
Collections: DarkBloodWolf13's Collection





	1. Devil May Care

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lucifer scoffs and puts his glass down loudly, walking over to be closer to John, "I suggest you show me some respect, Constantine."
> 
> "Constant-een," John corrects just as Lucifer stops right in front of him, their faces only inches away from each other.

**5 January, 2016**

* * *

Lucifer walks into his penthouse, a wide grin on his face as he makes his way to the bar. Leaving Hell is the best decision he has ever made in his entire lifespan, and he's been alive for a very long time. He only wished that Mazikeen could come up here with him. At the club he opened, Lux, there were so many attractive humans who came through, both men and women. She would have liked it here.

He pours himself a drink and downs it in one go. Though he couldn't really get drunk -- not with mortal alcohol, at least -- it was still fun, and he liked the way the drink tasted as it slipped down his throat. He'd decided to go home early that night.

 _Home_. He likes that that word no longer means Hell. And maybe the smallest part of Lucifer missed when the word meant Heaven, but his pride would never let him admit that. He made his choice when he rebelled, and Dad made his own when he cast him out eternally. The slightest prick finds a place in his stone-cold heart at the thought that none of his siblings had visited him. You know, maybe they could have dropped a line down Angel Radio. Sent him a postcard, _wish you were here_! But _no_ , they all had to play obedient little children.

Lucifer scoffs as he pours yet another drink. There were other angels who helped him, rebelled with him. Why was he the only one who paid for it? Nothing Dad does is fair.

It's all in the past now, either way. He's not going to be God's puppet, not anymore. He's spent too long in Hell, wasting time he could have spent up here. He'd only dropped by every once in a while, back when he was still a good angel in Heaven. He smiles faintly at the memories he has of Michelangelo. If he kept some of the worshipping letters Michelangelo wrote to him, Lucifer would never tell.

"Fuck -- _Bloody Hell_. Couldn't have dropped me off a little better?"

Lucifer raises an eyebrow at the muffled voice coming from the elevator. It sounded like someone -- a man -- fell down in there. He stands up, waiting for the doors to open. When they slide apart, a blonde man in a tan trench coat is there, his hair slightly dishevelled and coat rumpled. Lucifer asks, "Care to tell me how you got past security?"

"I didn't, they dropped me in the elevator," the man answers, disgruntled.

"Who?" Lucifer questions, putting the shot glass down on the bar. "My siblings? Dear old Dad?"

"No," the man answers, frowning. "I don't care what they want me to do. Listen, Luci --"

"Are we getting comfortable now, is that it?" Lucifer cuts in.

The man seems to catch himself and corrects, "Just hear me out, alright? I come from the future. The whole universe is in danger in a couple of years. We tried to defeat the Anti-Monitor, but we weren't enough. He wiped out everything in existence, and the Legends think our only chance to win is with your help, so they sent me back in time to get you. If we can just hurry along now, love, that would be great."

"Who says I'm going with you?" Lucifer asks, a small smile finding its way onto his face. "It sounds like a you-problem."

The man pauses, "You wanna run that by me again?"

"The world is ending, blah blah blah... It's all very biblical, John," Lucifer says, only grinning.

"You know me?"

"I do! Are you surprised?" Lucifer asks, going back to the bar to pour out some gin and tonic. "The infamous John Constantine. Demons have a place reserved down there just for you. You should be honoured." John presses his lips together in contemplation, like he's trying to think of what else he can say, or how to respond to that. Lucifer saves him the trouble and continues talking, "I would love to say that I'm pleased to see you in my penthouse, in my timeline, on my Earth, but I don't lie. If you would leave now, that'd be fantastic."

"See, love. I can't go back, not without you. That's not my choice," John says, eyeing the gin and tonic. "You're our 'only hope', so to speak. Without someone of your power, we've got no chance in stopping the Crisis."

"And yet, I fail to see how that's my problem," Lucifer replies simply. "I'm here on Earth for retirement. I'm not here to solve you mortals' problems. Unless, of course, you have something you can do for me --" Lucifer suddenly cuts himself off as he remembers who John is.

"What? What do you want me to do? Frankly, I'm outta options here, mate," John asks.

Lucifer starts, "My right-hand woman --"

"Maze," John interrupts. Lucifer frowns.

"Wait a second. We haven't been through this before, have we," Lucifer realises.

"I free her from Hell for you in a while and you owed me for that," John says.

Lucifer points out, "But I am guessing I've repaid the debt. Have I?"

John looks conflicted, like he's deciding if he wants to lie or not, but he says defeatedly, "You helped us get to Purgatory to retrieve Oliver Queen's soul." Since Lucifer had already completed his end of the favour, if he helped with the Anti-Monitor then, future Lucifer wouldn't help them with Oliver's soul, which is just some paradox shit that John doesn't want to work up his brain with.

"Ah," Lucifer almost laughs. "Look how the tables have turned. I would do this as a favour for you to return, but I can't imagine a thing you could possibly do for me, John. Whatever will we do about that?"

John seems lost, like he's grasping at straws. For a very brief moment, Lucifer almost feels sorry for him. The devil in him pushes it away as soon as it shows itself, however. It's still not his problem. His Earth should remain safe, and even if it doesn't, it's not like the Anti-Monitor has the juice to wipe Lucifer from existence. He can always find somewhere else. The Anti-Monitor is small fry. Fact is, he's not even worth Lucifer's time. Booze and sex were a much better use of his endless time than fighting a false god.

John says, a hint of frustration in his plastic smirk, "You're being very difficult, Luci."

"What is with you and 'Luci', for Dad's sake. I've never heard a mortal call me that," Lucifer mutters. John stares at him for a while, a flicker of unreadable emotion flashing across his face for a moment. Lucifer frowns, asking, "What was that?"

"What was what, love?"

"That look. What was that?" Lucifer asks again, irritated. He hated not knowing about the future. If only that was one of his powers as well, life would be easier. Then again, not as exciting.

"Nothing," John says.

"I hate liars," Lucifer replies.

John snaps, "Well, that's too bloody bad, then. My Earth, your Earth. Every Earth, every person in every reality is going to die. All because of what? You don't wanna get up off your arse and do something good for once in your life? Daddy issues getting in the way?"

Lucifer scoffs and puts his glass down loudly, walking over to be closer to John, "I suggest you show me some respect, Constantine."

"Constant- _een_ ," John corrects just as Lucifer stops right in front of him, their faces only inches away from each other.

"Is it? I don't care," Lucifer says coldly. "Get out."

John remembers himself and takes in a deep breath, saying, "Look, I didn't mean it, alright mate? I'm not looking for a fight here."

"Then look somewhere else, because there's going to be a fight here if you don't leave," Lucifer replies. It's not like Lucifer actively sought out fights, especially with mortals, but this John Constantine is being a real pain in the arse and he's not opposed to just punching his lights out. Just then, John starts to glow a soft blue. Lucifer narrows his eyes at him, asking, "What are you doing?"

"Nothing, I'm not --" John looks down at his hands, realising what's going on. "I must have run out of time. Are you coming or not? I don't have much longer."

"Nope. That's your problem," Lucifer smiles smugly, waving. "Don't come back again, Constantine."

"Bollocks," John mutters quietly as he fully fades away, leaving Lucifer alone in his penthouse.


	2. Who Cares About Divine Intervention?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lucifer changes his angle, "What do you mean, you already changed the future? What did you change?"
> 
> "Nothing you'll miss," John replies simply.

**8 May, 2016**

* * *

Sure enough, the 2016 version of John Constantine had arrived two months earlier on sheer coincidence, and thus did his end of the favour -- freeing Maze from Hell so she could help track down Amenadiel's lost necklace. Maze had settled into a job as a bartender at Lux afterward, and occasionally, she would sleep with the women there. Rarely men. Women suited her taste more than men did. Lucifer finds it an almost equal balance for himself. He just preferred women a little bit more.

It has been four months since the appearance of John Constantine from the future. He didn't know what exact time the warlock came from, but he did know it was probably way too far into the future for it to be any sort of concern for him. He just cared about having fun until he gets bored, then find something new to do. A part of him is a little bit curious about it. Dad never said anything about an end to the world, not one coming within the next few years. Then again, it's the so-called Anti-Monitor, not God. Lucifer knows about him, his grand plan to wipe out everything. He just doesn't care enough. But also, John is gone. If he were trying again, he would have been back by now. He's not. Ergo, no longer a problem.

" _There must be some kind of way out of here, said the joker to the thief. There's too much confusion, I can't get no relief_ ," Lucifer sings into the microphone as his fingers glide expertly across the piano's ivory keys. " _Business, they drink my wine. Plow-men dig my earth. None will level on the line. Nobody of it is worth_."

Maze gives him a smile from the bar, and Lucifer returns it. It's nice having Maze up here with him. She sometimes complained that mortals aren't exciting, and that she missed torturing the guilty, but she's still here. She could have gone back if she wanted, it's not like Lucifer's stopping her. He had the Pentecostal coin.

" _No reason to get excited; the thief, he kindly spoke. There are many here among us_..." Lucifer continues, lifting his eyes up from the keys to look around the room. Men and women, some looking flirtatious, all smile at his performance of Jimi Hendrix, and then a particular face catches his attention when the dim club lights shine over his face. "... _who feel that life is but a joke_."

John makes his way to the front of the watching crowd, simply just watching as Lucifer goes on with performing, " _But you and I, we've been through that and this is not our fate. So, let us not talk falsely now. The hour's getting late, hey!_ "

" _All along the watchtower. Princes kept the view while all the women came and went, barefoot servants too_ ," Lucifer sings. He tries to keep his attention on the more attractive people in the audience, catch the eye of a handsome man or gorgeous woman, but his gaze keeps getting pulled back towards John. " _Outside in the cold distance, a wildcat did growl. Two riders were approaching, and the wind began to howl, hey_."

 _All along the watchtower_ , Lucifer can see John mouthing along to the final words, dark red and blue lighting hitting his face in all the right ways. _All along the watchtower._

The audience claps and cheers for him, even Maze puts down the bottle in her hand to give him applause. Having his best demon with him remains one of his greatest ideas. He waves and smiles, shutting the piano lid before he walks into the crowd, grabbing John's arm and tugging him into the elevator. The security guards posted there to stop strangers from going up let him through. It's not the first time they've seen Lucifer bring a man upstairs after playing the piano. What can he say? Music is a major turn-on.

Once the doors are closed, Lucifer turns sharply to him and asks, "Why are you back? I told you not to come back."

"I didn't choose to come back, okay?" John defends. "You made your stance perfectly clear. But it seems like I'm going to be popping up whenever." After a pause, John asks, "How long has it been since I last appeared? Well, I know I came here on the 13th of March for Maze, but I mean _me_ , me."

Lucifer answers, "Four very peaceful months." A thought settles in Lucifer's mind, curiosity of why he remembered the exact date. Lucifer doesn't even bother with dates. The days blur themselves together when you've lived for a long time.

"So, it's May 2016," John mutters to himself, like he's keeping track.

"Speaking of which, when are you from?" Lucifer asks, just as they reach the penthouse. John walks freely around. Obviously, he was here before in January, but he walks around like he's familiar with the place. Not like someone who's seen just the main room once. The John of that time didn't even come up to the penthouse. He can't help but wonder what's with the familiarity.

John answers, "2019, love. December 10th, to be exact."

"You take gin and tonic?"

"Been eyeing that drink since I was last here," John says.

"Too bad, you're not getting any," Lucifer replies, stopping next to his piano and turning back around to face John. "No more attempts to convince me?"

John shrugs, pushing his hands into his pockets, "I gotta give up some time. If you're not coming, no point trying to convince the devil, right?"

"Right," Lucifer says, smiling. "Now you've got it." He holds out another glass of gin and tonic to him. "Here."

"Seems like I'm gonna pop up all over your life... I guess you're all I have left before we're back in the present and I die," John accepts the drink from him. "I'll take what I can get."

"No fight left in you, Johnny?" Lucifer partially mocks.

"We all gotta go some time," John says simply. "I'll be off to Hell any day now."

"Not that I try to ruin my demons' work, but you've never tried breaking your deals?" Lucifer questions. Something about this future version of John intrigued him. He should be a detective, what with all the questioning he's doing.

John downs the drink in a few gulps and answers, "You can't shake the devil's hand and say you're only kidding, Luci. You of all people should know that."

"I do," Lucifer says. John holds out the empty glass for a refill and Lucifer replies, "Don't be greedy. That's all you're getting."

"Bollocks," John mutters, though he submits and puts down the now-empty glass.

"How long until you do your whole disappearing act again?" Lucifer asks. "Give a devil a warning before you visit."

"I don't know," John says, irritation in his voice. "When Sara had Gideon throw me backwards in time, it's not like she gave me a map of where I'd land. Apparently, I'm on a little tour bus of your life." After a pause, he adds, "There's really no convincing you, love?"

Lucifer smiles, replying, "Devil does as Devil wants."

"Thought so," John says, a slightly disappointed smile on his face, though it also seems like he'd expected the answer. "You were very different back in the day, Luci. Now that I'm talking to you while not on business."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Lucifer asks. "What do you mean different?"

"Nothing," John lies. "I've played with time enough to know I can't tell you anything."

"Can't tell me anything, my arse," Lucifer scoffs. "Why not?"

John shrugs again, giving him yet another unreadable expression, "I'd prefer not to change the future any more than I already have."

"What if telling me stops the Anti-Monitor?" Lucifer bargains. "Come on, Johnny. Tell dear old Lucifer, hm?" _John's strong_ , Lucifer thinks to himself. By now, a normal mortal would have been spilling all their secrets. He's resisting Lucifer' temptation. When it still doesn't work and John's mouth remains shut, Lucifer changes his angle, "What do you mean, you already changed the future? What did you change?"

"Nothing you'll miss," John replies simply. Before Lucifer can interrogate him further, he starts to glow a light blue. John sighs, "Bollocks. Not again. I'll see you soon, Luci."

Lucifer lifts his half-empty shot glass and says, "You better give me an answer when you come back."

"Don't count on it, love," John says, disappearing in a flash of light.


	3. The Devil You Know

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He half-laughs, saying, "A man damned to Hell sleeping with the Devil sounds like some sick cosmic joke."
> 
> "Please, your life is a whole pile of sick cosmic jokes. What's one more?" Lucifer asks, leaning a little closer.

**16 November, 2016**

* * *

"Always a pleasure to do business with mortals," Lucifer smiles, waving goodbye as the crime syndicate drives away. He'd done a favour for him and is now looking forward to collecting his end of the deal. He wonders what use he would ever have for a crime syndicate. It's not like they have anything Lucifer can't get himself. However, you never know when they might come in handy. It's good to keep contacts around.

Lucifer stands in the empty lot where he delivered his side of the favour, thinking about where he should go now. He could go back to Lux, pick up some people to have fun. Go to a different club and drink until he's sick of the taste. Go on a shopping spree with the infinite cash he has. For just a brief moment, Lucifer wondered if this is all it is, if there should be something bigger in his life.

His thoughts are interrupted when a voice echoes through the lot, asking, "What's on your mind, Luci?"

"Nothing," he answers immediately. There's something about the way John is, that Lucifer doesn't want to tell him all his problems, look weak. He doesn't turn to face him as he says, "Welcome back, John."

"How long?"

"Six months," Lucifer replies. Six months and eight days, to be exact. Lucifer doesn't want to admit that he'd been counting the days. Between the meaningless night-to-night escapades and endless alcohol, each day passes with little to no impression in his mind. Yet, he still found himself counting each day until John next appeared. He didn't know why. There's just something about the warlock that's particularly interesting, among the boring humdrum of typical mortals.

John nods and looks around the empty lot, taking a deep breath in. He asks, "What are you standing around for, anyway? Waiting for someone?"

Lucifer answers, turning fully to look at John, "Well, I was about to leave. If you'd care to come along, my car is just outside." Lucifer notes that John makes no comment about how he's using a car when he should be able to fly. He'd gotten Maze to chop his wings off as soon as 2016 John showed up to pull her out of Hell. It'd hurt so badly that Lucifer couldn't move for two days, but it's worth it. Just so his father couldn't have anything over him anymore. The wings felt to him what string felt to a puppet. He hated it.

"Your wings were beautiful," John says instead, voice surprisingly soft.

Lucifer raises an eyebrow, "You've seen them? But if you've seen them, then..."

"You get them back," John fills in. "Sorry, love."

"I'll cut them off when they grow back," Lucifer vows, beginning to walk out of the lot.

John trails behind slowly and changes the subject. Lucifer suspects that in the future, they're close enough that John either already has all the answers he wants, or he knows Lucifer well enough to know when he doesn't want to talk. John asks instead, "How's the holiday?"

"Boring from time to time, but you can't expect every day to be exciting," Lucifer answers. He gets into his car -- very expensive, very fast and very loud -- and John gets into the passenger seat next to him. "How's jumping around my life's timeline?"

"It's intriguing. Never know where I'll end up. Hopefully next time, it'll be in a situation where I can actually have some fun before I clock out for good," John says, while Lucifer starts up the engine. "Gotta admit though, love. It's kind of a bum."

"How so?"

John holds a cigarette to his lips, letting it hang between them as he fishes in his coat pocket for a lighter. He answers, "Who knows how many more times I'll be popping up until I'm returned to my timeline? You won't help, and I'm not gonna waste my last hours trying to convince you to save the universe, so I know it's unavoidable. Just wish there was a little more time."

"Thought you would be the kind who'd be ready to die," Lucifer mocks. He did understand the feeling, though. When Lucifer rebelled, he knew there was a chance he'd lose, get exiled from Heaven. He took the chance when he challenged God, but it didn't mean there wasn't still a tiny part of him inside that feared his beloved father casting him out. When he tumbled down to Hell, crashing into the embers of crackling hellfire... That was the worst day of Lucifer's life.

"I am. Just didn't quite expect to go this way," John says, exhaling smoke. Lucifer inhales it in slightly. He doesn't have a habit of smoking cigarettes, but he did enjoy the feeling nicotine and drugs gave him. He can't get drunk, but surprisingly enough, drugs are just fine with him. They at least have a better effect than alcohol.

"How did you expect yourself to go?" Lucifer asks curiously. He won't admit it, but he did find it interesting to find out more about John as he went.

"Dunno," John says, flicking cigarette ashes out of the car. "Not this. Not... disappearing into a whole load'a nothing."

Lucifer considered helping. It still offers him no benefits, not like his favours. He could have helped the fight as a favour to John, but as he already said to him at their first meeting, he couldn't think of a single way John could repay him. Anything supernatural, Lucifer can handle on his own. He's the Devil, for Dad's sake. If he couldn't do it, John won't be able to. He's virtually no use to him. The one thing he could do, he'd already done -- Maze.

He asks, "What do you think Hell's going to be like?"

"I've been there, actually. Just to visit," John replies. "Not what kids think it to be. But Hell, all the same."

The conversation dies then. Lucifer never runs out of things to say. Yet, he's still quiet. He has no idea how long they have until John fades out of his life once more. For some reason, the thought that any moment now, he will be left alone again bothered him. He didn't feel like getting his company from Lux.

Finally, John says something, "Worth the shot to try, at least. Have you changed your mind yet, Luci?"

"No," Lucifer answers, keeping his eyes on the road.

"Okay," John says, taking the cigarette out from between his lips. "Want a hit, mate?"

"No," Lucifer repeats.

"Your choice," John shrugs, letting the glowing end of the stick burn itself out. "What are you doing tonight?"

It's Lucifer's turn to shrug, "I... don't know, actually."

"What, nobody to take home?" John questions. "Thought you would. You liked that, didn't you?" _Liked? Past tense?_ Lucifer can't imagine that he would ever grow out of this chaotic lifestyle. An idea strikes him then. A bad idea, but since when has Lucifer ever been the poster child of good ideas?

"What about you?" Lucifer asks.

"What about me?"

"We can go upstairs," Lucifer says, pulling into his parking space.

John pauses, like he's processing what Lucifer is suggesting. He half-laughs, saying, "A man damned to Hell sleeping with the Devil sounds like some sick cosmic joke."

"Please, your life is a whole pile of sick cosmic jokes. What's one more?" Lucifer asks, leaning a little closer. He didn't even need to turn up the temptation before John's lips are on his, mouth moving against his like he's been waiting for this for a while. Soon enough, they're in Lucifer's penthouse, stripping layers of clothes off of each other as they tumbled onto Lucifer's bed, quiet laughs sounding between fervent kisses. 

By the time Lucifer wakes up the next morning, turning in bed to look, John is already gone. Time must have taken him. Normally, Lucifer just gets dressed and leaves to do his own thing, but he just can't shake the look on John's face last night, the way he looked at him. He still didn't know who he was to John in the future, but _that look_.

And the way John's hands skated over the scars on Lucifer's back. Lucifer hated showing them, much less having people touch it. John had done both last night and yet... he'd let him do it. He'd probably let him do it again, if the occasion rose once more.

He puts on his attire for the day, sighing in the mirror as he does his hair. He's starting to sound like a teenage girl. Whining about a boy. John Constantine is no big deal. Nothing at all.


	4. Hanging on The Fall of a Coin

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "You should sing more often. Never admitted it, but I like hearing you perform," John says.

**21 March, 2017**

* * *

Lucifer sits at the bar of his nightclub, spinning his Pentecostal Coin. He'd taken it with him before leaving Hell, in the case that he ever wanted to go back. The coin was a one-way ticket between Hell and Earth. After Maze came up to Earth with Present John's help, the coin was reserved for if either of them wanted to go back to Hell. 

Lux is closed tonight. It's normally open, every night, but Lucifer had been overdoing it with the favours and sex recently and decided that he earned himself a break. Just the night before, he'd slept with a man who looked way too much like one John Constantine than Lucifer's pride would like to admit. The same obnoxious shade of blonde in his hair. The accent is American, no obvious trace of Liverpool like John's, and the coat he wore was just a shade lighter than John's, but the likeness was good enough for Lucifer to drag back to his bedroom.

It's been almost four months since he disappeared. Though roughly the same amount of time from before, it somehow feels twice as long. It's not like he can confide in anyone about the peculiar time travelling warlock anyway. He hasn't even told Maze, his closest friend and trusted confidante.

"Huh, maybe I should get more friends," Lucifer mutters to himself. He did have plenty of friends, but he didn't have any that he could have an actual friendly conversation with that isn't business or sex.

"Maybe you should," John says from behind him. "Hello, Luci."

Lucifer catches himself before an unconscious grin works its way onto his face. He asks, "Why, Johnny. Come back for more?"

"Can't seem to get enough of you," John replies sarcastically, going over to take an empty seat next to Lucifer. "How long?"

"Four months, like last time," Lucifer answers, letting the Pentecostal Coin fall back into his palm. John's eyes follow it, interest clearly piqued. "What?"

"The Pentecostal Coin," John murmurs. "One-way ticket out of Hell."

"Someone knows his mystical objects," Lucifer teases. "Why the interest?"

"You happen to have another one of those?" John asks. Lucifer realises why he's asking -- John's been damned to Hell. He'd nearly forgotten about that little detail somehow.

Lucifer asks, faint mocking smile on his face, "Is that fear I hear in your voice?"

"No," John mutters. "Whatever, mate. Forget I asked."

"Unfortunately, I have just the one and it's reserved," Lucifer answers his earlier question. "Sorry."

" _Forget it_ ," John repeats. "I was just making conversation."

Lucifer replies, "Strange way to start a conversation, no?"

"Bugger off."

Lucifer can't help but chuckle lightly at John's touchiness, and says, "No, thank you. Anyway, what, are you trying to escape your life in Hell? Didn't think you were the kind to run."

"I'm _not_. I _already_ said I was just --" John cuts himself off, frustrated. "Listen, this time travelling nonsense is getting old and tiring, and I just really want to get this over with. So, if you'll just make this a little bit easier for me, that'd be great."

"I apologise," Lucifer says, surprisingly soft. He's not the most sympathetic guy around and Lucifer is the first to admit it.

John presses his lips together, fingers picking at the edges of his sleeves before he sighs, "It's not your fault, love. I'm a bit testy, I'll admit." Lucifer's hands find their way to John's tie, tugging lightly to urge him closer.

"Maybe I can help with that," Lucifer says suggestively. The smile John gives him is see-through. He's obviously not in the mood.

"I appreciate the offer, Luci, but not today," John says. "After the last time I was here, when I was lying in your bed... I don't know. I had a moment of clarity."

"Clarity over what?"

"Oh, the usual bullshit, life. Always takes and never gives. I'm sent back in time to save everyone and I can't do that, and even then, I'm not allowed to live out the years, I have to jump around hours like a madman," John says bitterly. "Whatever."

"It's not whatever," Lucifer says. He doesn't even know why. Maybe over the past couple of interactions, he thinks he might have found a friend in the warlock. Ever since all his siblings, even the closest of them, left him when Father banished him, Lucifer is only loyal to those who deserve it, to true friends. Something about the way John openly talks about his troubles with him gave him the inclination to trust him. Maybe John will be his first friend in a long, long time that isn't a demon forged in the depths of Hell. "I wasn't aware this bothered you so much."

"It's not so much a bother as it is an annoyance," John replies. "Could at least give me a watch so I know how long until I have to drop whatever I'm doing."

Lucifer stands to pour John a glass of gin and tonic, pushing it across the bar to him. John raises it in thanks before he drinks up. Lucifer watches him take the whole drink down silently, wondering what he could say to make his friend feel better. _When Azrael talked to you all those times, what did you do? What did you say? It's so, so long ago._

Lucifer tries, "John, I'm sorry." _Say something else_. "Maybe I should help."

"I can hear it in your voice, you don't wanna do it," John says lowly. "Just leave it, alright? It's fine. I already made my peace with it. Can we just talk about something else?" When neither man comes up with anything to start a new conversation about, John asks, "Can you play something?"

"Any preference?"

"Your choice, Luci," John shakes his head, turning in his head with his magically refilled glass of gin and tonic. Lucifer figured he owed him that, at least. Lucifer walks over to the piano, opening the lid and sitting down. Once he figures out a song, his fingers dance across the ivory keys and he begins to sing.

" _When you were here before, couldn't look you in the eye. You're just like an angel. Your skin makes me cry_ ," Lucifer sings, shutting his eyes for a moment as he lets the stripped-down version of a Radiohead song take him.

" _You float like a feather in a beautiful world. I wish I was special. You're so fucking special_... _But I'm a creep, I'm a weirdo. What the hell am I doing here? I don't belong.._." Lucifer continues, glancing over at John. He can't tell from the dim lighting, but it looks like he has a faint smile on his face. He's cheering John up, at least. That spurs Lucifer on to go on with the song.

" _She's running out again... She's run, run, run, run, running out..._ " He doesn't even notice John move closer, where he's placed his refilled glass on the piano and has his arms folded on it as he watches him perform. And there's _that look_ again, the same one he'd seen whenever he asked about their future. "... Again."

The slow but sincere clapping John gives him echoes through the empty nightclub as he asks, "They teach you to sing like that in the Silver City?"

"No, but Castiel did always like to sing. I liked to join," Lucifer explains.

"You should sing more often. Never admitted it, but I like hearing you perform," John says. So, Lucifer's sung for him before in the future. _That means they remain friends, right?_ Lucifer beams up at him before he scoots over on the piano seat, leaving space for John.

John shrugs, sitting down, and Lucifer asks, "Do you play anything?"

"Not really. Never had any lessons," John says. "But... Sometimes, Ray likes to play a little something when he gets a piano out."

While John's fingers lightly land over different keys at the bottom half to remember it correctly, Lucifer asks, "Who's Ray?"

"One of the Legends, a bunch of time travellin' bastards," John summarises. Before Lucifer can ask anything else, John figures out the song and starts to play it. It sounds a little detached and off beat, but Lucifer makes it out to be _Hey There Delilah_ by Plain White T's.

"A love song? _You_?" Lucifer asks, laughing.

"Ray insisted I learn it, or he would never stop playing it. I was forced," John replies, still playing the song. Regardless, Lucifer just grins, taking the top half and accompanying John in playing the song. Midway through the song, Lucifer looks up at John, enjoying himself, and John even returns his smile.

However, when the lower notes fade away half a minute before the ending, Lucifer knows John has gone once again. He ignores the dull feeling in his chest, simply finishing the song alone and closing the piano lid when he's done. He takes John's leftover glass of gin and tonic and downs it, leaving it on the bar before he goes home.


	5. Sympathy For The Devil

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He curses under his breath and tries to speed up, "Doesn't matter what you are. Just matters what you do."

**13 June, 2017**

* * *

Lucifer hasn't been having a good day at all. A good week, even. The past few days, he'd had to have rowdy patrons at Lux thrown out for unacceptable behaviour; sexual harassment, trying to get free drinks, drugging without consent and various other events that irritated every inch of Lucifer's being. He may have flashed his Devil Face a few times.

Just earlier that day, he'd seen someone he knew. It's not anything big, they didn't even see him, but it still confirmed for him that this week is nothing but a huge disappointment. He'd passed by an accident site, and there she was -- Azrael. She had been talking to the soul of the man who died in the accident, guiding him to the afterlife. She didn't see Lucifer, busy with the soul, but he saw her. Remembering all the times she'd confided in him, telling him she was so lucky to have him, just to watch her as she bit her lip and looked away as Father threw him to Hell.

He could have gone up to her, say hello, maybe invite her back to his penthouse after she's done with the soul and catch up. Get an explanation to why she didn't help him, clear the air. Get back into the good graces of at least one of his siblings, especially one he liked so much.

But he didn't, because she seemed busy. She also seemed to be getting by fine without Lucifer around. Must have found another angel willing to listen to her rant for hours about her problems. That didn't hurt.

Who is he kidding? He could never tell a lie. It did hurt his feelings, for lack of a better way to say it. He hasn't seen her in a very long time. She obviously still looks the same, because angels don't age, but for some reason, it still made him feel some type of way, how she was still so small and young.

He sulks around his home, going for a simple shirt and pants instead of his usual sharp suits or even his robes. He didn't feel like dressing up. There's nobody to doll up for, anyway. Lux is closed. He closes his eyes and sighs, sitting on the couch and just taking in the silence. He finds himself wishing that John was there. Other than Maze, John seems to be the closest thing he has to a friend, and he admittedly liked his company.

"Why the long face, love?"

Lucifer's eyes open and he sits up, looking around until his gaze lands on John. Instead of his usual sarcastic smirk, he looks concerned for once. Lucifer shakes his head and says, "It's been a long week."

"Tell me about it," John replies, sitting down on the couch next to him.

Lucifer almost scoffs, "You haven't been jumping around for a week."

"I don't mean that I relate. I mean actually tell me about it," John clarifies, taking out a cigarette. He sticks it between his lips and tries to light it up, mumbling without dropping the cigarette, "I'll be your listenin' ear, or whatever it is people call it."

When his cigarette won't catch the fire, Lucifer sticks his finger at its edge, lighting it up. John thanks him as Lucifer begins talking, "I saw my sister yesterday, Azrael."

"You say hi?"

"No," Lucifer says, eyes travelling up to the ceiling in exasperation at himself. "It would have been so easy to... But I couldn't. Sometimes, I just think that maybe Father was right when he casted me down. Maybe I'm not worth it."

"Don't say that," John says. Though he's blowing smoke out of his mouth and waving his cigarette as he speaks, the way he looks at Lucifer shows that his words are sincere. "Your dad should have never done that."

"Well, he was going to kill me, but my mum convinced him that Hell was better," Lucifer says. After a moment of contemplation, he adds quietly, "I feel like Father killing me would be better."

John finally turns fully to look at Lucifer and he says, "I know you haven't lived out our history the way I did, so you can take my words however you wanna. Luci, you are a better man, or devil, than your father could ever dream of. You didn't deserve anything you got back then, trust me. I would know."

"Do I ever get back to Heaven?" Lucifer asks. It's not like it's something that still bothers him. In fact, he'd made his peace with his ban from the Silver City, but it doesn't hurt to ask.

John replies, "Can't tell you too much about the future. Intact timeline and all that. Z made me promise I won't screw it up like last time."

"How did you screw up last time?" Lucifer questions.

John lets out a humourless laugh and says, "I know what you're doing, trying to change the subject. You do this all the time."

"Okay, fine. I'll ask something else," Lucifer changes gears. "Who are we in the future?"

John decides to play the smart-arse and answers, "Lucifer Morningstar and John Constantine."

Lucifer rolls his eyes, replying, "I don't mean it like that. Who are we to each other?"

That shuts John right up. That Look makes an appearance yet again; John's eyes soften in a way Lucifer doesn't know how to describe, and he always looks like he's seeing Lucifer for the first time, or like he invented the galaxy. Well, he wouldn't be entirely wrong... Lucifer's helped Father in the workshop every once in a while, back when he was the favourite. But he can't shake that gaze out of his head, no matter how hard he tries. Before he drifts off to sleep every night, it's always on his mind. The question of their future relations has been clawing at Lucifer's curiosity since John's first appearance.

John finally says, "I'll tell you another time, yeah?"

"Why not now?" Lucifer responds, annoyed. "Come on. It would cheer me up immensely. Tell me."

"I can't tell you," John says, tone final.

Lucifer, always the challenger, asks, "Can't tell me, or won't?"

And then John's silent again, deep in thought. Lucifer wishes telepathy was his special power. But he does have the next best thing. Lucifer leans forward, about to ask his famous question, but John moves away and says, "I know what you're trying to do. It doesn't work on me."

"If it doesn't, then why did you avoid me?" Lucifer asks. John puts the cigarette back between his lips, stressed out. Lucifer is so close to getting the answer. He just needs to push a little harder at John's shell...

"Because it works on rare occasions, and I don't know if this will be one of those," John admit, frustrated. "I don't know. Your power goes haywire around me or something." He paces in front of Lucifer for a few seconds before saying, "I promise I'll tell you, okay? Before I die, I'll tell you. But not now. Can we just talk about you?"

Lucifer finally relents, "Okay. Consider it dropped."

John nods wordlessly, crushing the cigarette in Lucifer's expensive ashtray. He says, "Either way... You aren't bad. And that's coming from me."

"I'm the Devil. I was cast down to Hell by God himself. How am I not bad?" Lucifer asks, the very thought of his father's doing already getting him on his nerves. The week is still not getting any better.

John looks down at the floor and then back up at Lucifer, requesting, "Do your Devil Face."

"Fine," Lucifer doesn't argue, revealing his Devil Face. It's a mess of burnt flesh and skin, dark eyes and an eerie grin. It's certainly not pretty, especially compared to the face Lucifer wears on a daily basis. John moves closer and stares him right in the eyes -- that's new. Lucifer has never met a mortal who could look at him directly without screaming, much less for this long.

John says, "If it's any consolation, you lose that."

"Lose what?"

"The Face," John clarifies. "You lose that down the road."

Lucifer finds it hard to believe, "You're lying to me, aren't you?"

John shrugs, answering, "You and Amenadiel --"

"Amenadiel? He hates me. He'll never come down here," Lucifer laughs.

John doesn't even flinch at the horrifying image of his Devil Face cackling, and just continues like Lucifer hadn't interrupted, "You and Amenadiel figure out that angels lose their powers and wings or get things like your Devil Face due to them inflicting punishment on themselves. It's all a matter of what you think you deserve. And I know you become a better person over the years. I've seen it." Just then, John starts to glow blue. He curses under his breath and tries to speed up, "Doesn't matter what you are. Just matters what you do." With that, John disappears in a flash of light, and Lucifer is alone once again.

"I'm punishing... myself?" Lucifer mumbles, walking over to the mirror to stare at his Devil Face. His fingers touch it lightly and he just thinks _I need to be a better person_.


	6. I Am the King (Of Very Foolish Things)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "You just... You're Lucifer Morningstar," John says.
> 
> Lucifer half-smiles, amused, "I am. Is this news?"

**7 September, 2017**

* * *

Lucifer was still reeling from his earlier conversation with Amenadiel. He didn't know why he dropped by. He found his stupid necklace so he would leave him alone. Amenadiel had come to complain about how he had to pick up the slack after Lucifer left Hell and telling him that he had to return at once. Of course, Lucifer told him to mind his business, in the most impolite way he could, and sent him on his way.

Lucifer hadn't thought that Amenadiel would take over Hell. He didn't even think Father would have gotten someone to replace him. He'd assumed the demons would either go crazy with power or that one of them would be elected the new king of Hell. Not Amenadiel. He can only imagine that his demons are laughing at his incompetence at running the biggest Sin City of all.

Now he's watching the people in Lux move about, like Amenadiel was never there. The same way Lucifer could bring forth people's deepest darkest desires, Amenadiel could slow down time. His entire conversation with Lucifer lasted barely a second in real world time. He raises his glass to his lips, downing the drink. Gin and tonic; not Lucifer's personal favourite, but it reminded him of John, so he got into the habit of drinking it.

The reminder of John as gin and tonic hits his lips just brings forth the interest in if John would like Chloe Decker. He'd met the detective a while back and stuck with her, mainly because he didn't trust the authorities to properly punish the man who killed his friend Delilah.

When someone sits next to him on one of the cushioned seats, Lucifer doesn't even need to look over to know who it is.

"How long?"

"Three months," Lucifer answers, smiling. "Hello, Johnny. Welcome back."

"Glad to be here," John mumbles, taking the gin and tonic that Lucifer calls over for him. "What's been with you since I left?"

"Amenadiel dropped by. Complained about taking over my duties in Hell. And I'm a police helper of sorts," Lucifer updates. At that, John frowns like he's misunderstanding something.

"What year is this?" John asks.

Lucifer replies, "September 2017. Why?"

"You weren't supposed to meet Chloe until 2019," John mutters, leaning forward in the seat in concern. "Why is the timeline moving up?"

In an attempt to placate him, Lucifer suggests, "It's probably nothing. Don't worry about it. You're still here, so that means the future is still intact." So, John knows Chloe. He must have met her. Judging from the first name basis, he likes her. And that also means Lucifer and Chloe remain friends for quite a while.

"That's true..." John thinks. "But I'm not the expert on time travel. The expert isn't around anymore."

"What were your friends like?" Lucifer asks. Since mentioning Ray, the forceful pianist and Z, he'd gotten curious. Plus, he actually wanted to know more about John's personal life. He liked him.

"Sara Lance, she's the captain of the Legends. Good fighter. There's Mick Rory, he's a bastard but damn me if I don't think he writes like a pro. Ray Palmer, a stupid genius. Zari Tomaz, she's probably the only smart person on that ship. Nate Heywood, he and Ray are peas in a pod; idiots. Charlie, she's a shapeshifter but she's probably my closest friend there. Helped me a lot," John says.

"That's good to have friends like that," Lucifer says. It's true. He hasn't known John very long, when he totals up the amount of time they've spent together. It's not even a week total, despite their meetings splitting among the years. But either way, he still liked that John had good friends like the Legends. "I don't know how to..." He trails off, not wanting to sound like a whiny teenager.

Even so, John catches his drift and puts his arm around Lucifer, simply saying, "Ah, don't say that. I'm your friend."

"That you are," Lucifer replies. "What did Charlie help you with?"

John pauses, and for a moment, Lucifer thinks John's going to avoid the question again. But he surprises him when he answers, "Desmond." Lucifer settles into the seat, ready to listen. He owed John for listening to him rant the last time they met. John starts rambling, "Neron arrived and I told Des that he had to get out of town for a while, leave me until I handled him. Just for his safety. He refused because he loved me... And then I had to send him to Hell to ensure Neron went down. When I joined the Legends, I realised I had the chance to save him, by changing the past so Des would leave me and wouldn't die. Charlie helped me change the timeline as many times as we did so Des would live, and she could get back her powers. The timelines were killing me, but I could live with it if it meant Des would live, you know? But we had to change it back because no matter what we did, something always went wrong."

"I'm sorry, John," Lucifer says sincerely.

"Again, ain't your fault," John mutters, staring down at his hands. "He came back anyway, when I fought Neron again. He could continue his life."

"How did that go?" Lucifer asks,

"I, uh... I offered to wipe his memories of Hell, so he didn't have to live with the trauma. I hoped we could go back to the way we were before," John says. "But he said that he'll live with it the same way that I have to live with the fact that I made him suffer. Never saw him again."

Lucifer tried to think of something to say -- he couldn't. What do you tell someone after something like that? Eventually, he says, "I know nothing I say is any help, but you tried your best, and sometimes that's all we can really do. You saved him, John. From Hell, for that matter. That's not easy. You did good."

"Thanks," John says quietly. "You do good too. In the future, you're gonna... you'll go through some shit with your friends, your family. But you're gonna do good."

"Thank you," Lucifer echoes. They sit in silence for a while, taking in the buzzing atmosphere of Lux. People making out, drinking, dancing, stripping, chatting, laughing... It sure didn't match their conversation at all, but somehow it had felt like it was just the two of them, like nobody else had been around. Lucifer kind of liked that. The silence, a stark contrast to the nightclub, is comfortable.

At some point, Lucifer finally notices that John is staring at him. Lucifer raises an eyebrow, asking, "What?"

"You..." John trails off, like he forgot what he wanted to say.

"I what?"

"You just... You're Lucifer Morningstar," John says.

Lucifer half-smiles, amused, "I am. Is this news?"

"Of course not. It's just that it's hitting me now," John mumbles. "You were so different back then."

Lucifer shifts forward in his seat, so his face was more angled towards John's as he asks, "Is that a good thing or bad thing?"

John turns towards him and answers, "It could never be a bad thing, Luci. It's you." Before Lucifer realises it, John's starting to lean in and he's doing the same, his eyes closing. A flash of light stops Lucifer and he sighs, opening his eyes to see that John has disappeared.

The same way John leaves him with the question of 'what was that?', Lucifer is left with the revelation of 'I love John Constantine'. He had no idea when did physical attraction morph into romantic attraction. Maybe somewhere in between the kisses they'd exchanged in Lucifer's bed, the way John's fingers felt on his skin. Maybe somewhere in the glasses of gin and tonic they'd shared. Maybe somewhere in how John stared at him when he thought Lucifer didn't notice the way his eyes softened. Maybe somewhere in between the long gaps of time where Lucifer spent every minute wondering if John will drop by. Somewhere in between the kiss that never happened and Lucifer contemplating the matters of his heart in a crowded nightclub.

But Lucifer is in love with John Constantine. He didn't believe the Devil could be in love with anyone. However, he can't find a single thing that disputed it. He enjoyed John's company more than anyone else's and he always hated watching him leave. His mood always improves when John is around. John understood him in ways nobody ever had. Not his closest siblings, not his best demons. Not the NYPD detective. But John Constantine did.

And the way John had looked at his Devil Face with no hint of fear, but rather familiarity. Like he's seen it multiple times and yet, he didn't care. Not a shred of judgement or disgust on his face. The way John told him his wings were beautiful. A thought comes through in Lucifer's head, and he finds it ridiculous that he never thought of it before; are he and John boyfriends in the future? It would explain a lot, but without confirmation, Lucifer can't be sure.

He hoped so. He really liked John.


	7. Doomed to Fall (For You)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Because, she’s just... She’s not...” Lucifer struggles to find the right explanation. “She’s not you, John.”

**14 February, 2018**

* * *

The thing about John is that he’s been in love with Lucifer Morningstar for almost as long as he’s known him. He doesn’t even really know why, he just recalls that he saw Lucifer one day and something in his mind clicked, and there had only been one very simple thought in his brain as Lucifer flashed him a grin: _I love you._

And it’s been like that for the next couple years. Even when he’d returned to Earth-1, where there was no Lucifer. There’s multiple John Constantines in all the existing Earths, but only one Lucifer Morningstar in the entire multiverse. He’s one of a kind, _literally_.

He’d learnt to forget and move on when Desmond came along. At least, he _tried_ to forget and move on. After losing Desmond and his crazy episode trying to save him, he spoke to Sara about the mission to explain where he, Zari and Charlie had been doing. Sara and he talked for a few hours after that, and somehow she’d managed to coax his story with Lucifer out of him. 

Her advice had been to see him again, tell him he still loved him. So, John did go. He had full intentions of confessing to Lucifer that he loved him, but then he’d seen how happy he looked with that detective, and he decided to return to Earth-1.

Somehow, as fate would have it, he’s now stuck in temporal limbo, sentenced to live through a few hours of Lucifer’s life. He’d had plenty of chances to tell him how he really felt, but it always felt like it was too soon or too late.

When he said he’d already changed the timeline, he’d meant their first actual meeting, when Past John would help Lucifer with pulling Maze out of Hell. They’d kissed and hooked up in the original timeline, but because Lucifer already knew John, he didn’t hook up with Past John. John’s kind of grateful he can remember it due to jumping around the temporal zone, but he also doesn’t know if it’s a blessing or a curse to remember something that never happened.

And then he’d watched Lucifer sing _All Along the Watchtower_ by Jimi Hendrix and _Creep_ by Radiohead, and he’s just falling in love again and again. He’s had the honour of listening to the devil sing multiple times, and it always gets his heart beating just a little bit faster. He’d admitted it once, but Lucifer hadn’t read it as a confession, just a mere compliment.

And then Lucifer tried to kiss him! But then the temporal zone whisked him away right before it could happen, and as John finds himself standing in the middle of the L.A.P.D.’s precinct, he winces as he realises he’s going to deal with a possibly-awkward Lucifer.

* * *

Lucifer stares up at Chloe with his best attempt at puppy dog eyes and says, “Just one time.”

Chloe arranges her stack of folders on her desk and looks at him, unamused, “I already said you’re not allowed to juggle the breast implants. They’re _evidence_.”

Lucifer frowns and picks at the corner of her desk, glancing around, “You’re no fun, Detective.”

She rolls her eyes, typing information into her computer, “And you’re a child.”

Lucifer’s eyes stop exploring the precinct when they land on a familiar tan trench coat. He sits up straight and squints, making sure it’s actually John. The man walks over and greets, “Hello, love.”

Chloe looks up at the voice and asks, “Sorry, you are?”

“John Constantine,” Lucifer fills in. “I’ve told you about him, remember?”

Chloe’s face is washed with a look of recognition and she stands, holding out her hand to John. “Hi John, I’m Chloe Decker. Lucifer’s told me a lot about you.”

“Good things, I hope,” John replies, shaking her hand.

“Oh, yeah. He never shuts up, actually,” Chloe nods. She shoots Lucifer a pointed look before she puts her computer on sleep mode, saying, “I need to hand some files over to Dan. I’ll give you two a minute.” John doesn’t know how he feels about the fact that Lucifer probably told her he almost kissed him. He wonders if Lucifer was regretful or excited.

Once Chloe walks away, John asks the same question he always asks, “How long?”

“Five months,” Lucifer answers. 

When Lucifer doesn’t say anything after that, John decides to just go for it, “Last time I was here...”

“Can we talk?” Lucifer cuts in. He gestures to the soundproof interrogation room in the precinct and John nods, walking in. Lucifer closes the door behind them and says, in a voice softer than his typical British sarcasm, “I like you a lot, John. And I don’t know if... if this is what happens in your future, but I like you. I think I... I think I love you, and I don’t know what I’m supposed to do, because I’ve never experienced something like this before. I don’t know how to love someone, or if you love me back, or if it’s even worth it --”

“I’m all in,” John says.

“What?”

“I’m all in,” John repeats, walking closer. “I’ve loved you for longer than I’d like to admit.”

“What did I change in the timeline?” Lucifer asks. “That time, you said something changed, but it’d be nothing I would miss. It has to do with you and me, doesn’t it? What?”

John answers, deciding that the timeline’s screwed to Hell and they’re going to die any time now anyway, “You and I were supposed to hook up after I got Maze out of Hell. After that, I stayed the morning, and we went out for lunch together... Then I left. But it never happened because of current me travelling back in time. You decided not to sleep with me, so you don’t remember it.”

“John, this... So, it’s not real?” Lucifer replies. “You and I, we’re just, what, ripples in the timeline?” After a pause, he asks, “In your future, do I love you?”

John hesitates, but he eventually answers, looking to the ground, “No. You fell in love with Chloe Decker.”

“The _detective_?” Lucifer says, bewildered. Sure, the detective is very hot, and she’s clever and capable. She’s got a heart to protect the ones she loves and has a soul so good that Lucifer can’t believe she isn’t an angel. But something just didn’t pull him to her the way John did.

“You, uh... You liked everything about her,” John says. “Whenever I saw you, you’d always talk about the detective. The cases you’d solve together, how she only knows how to play the high keys of _Heart and Soul_ on the piano. I don’t know why you don’t love her in this timeline. Why?”

“Because, she’s just... She’s not...” Lucifer struggles to find the right explanation. “She’s not _you_ , John.”

John blinks blankly at that, and then his eyes are back on the ground again. Lucifer presses his lips together, thinking about everything that has happened. John breaks the silence by asking, sounding uncharacteristically anxious, “Do you love me?”

“I do,” Lucifer answers, mouth moving faster than whatever little filter his brain had. “Do you?”

“I do,” John affirms. He glances out at the busy precinct for a moment before asking, “So, where does that leave us?”

“Somewhere better, I hope,” Lucifer says, attempting a weak smile. “If this is the only chance I’m getting with you, then I’m taking it.”

John breaks into a grin and Lucifer closes the space between them, pressing his lips against his. At some point, John’s fingers rest on the back of Lucifer’s neck, deepening the kiss. Lucifer tugs on his trench coat, tempted to pull it off until he remembers they’re still in the precinct and he can’t fly them back to his place. _Those wings would have been pretty useful to grow back right about now._

They pull away so John can catch a breath, and Lucifer decides to ask his famous question, “What is it that you desire?”

John looks up at him and says, “It’s haywire, I told you.”

“Why?” Lucifer asks. “Why doesn’t it work on you?”

“Because... I don’t know. You get a little more vulnerable around me,” John says. “It used to only work if you caught me off-guard, like just now. But...”

Lucifer thinks for a moment before replying, “Because I love you?”

“It didn’t work on Chloe either,” John points out.

“That’s not true,” Lucifer frowns. “It worked on her just fine.”

John’s eyes widen and he’s about to ask something else, but then his hands start glowing blue and he rushes forward, pulling Lucifer into another kiss. He breaks it just as he fades away and says, “We’ll talk again. I love you.”

Before Lucifer can return the words, John disappears. The door opens and Chloe walks in, asking, “Where’s John?”

“He left,” Lucifer answers. “Urgent business. Couldn’t say bye, unfortunately.”

“Oh, that’s too bad,” Chloe says. “So, did you talk about that kiss of yours? How was it?”

“I don’t know exactly where we stand, but I’d say he’s my... boyfriend,” Lucifer says. The word sounds odd, he’s never had a boyfriend before, but it felt right. 

Chloe grins at him and replies, “Good. It’s always good to, you know, talk things out. Figure things out.”

“Yes, yes. Detective, I need to test something,” Lucifer cuts in. “What is it that you desire?”

Chloe’s eyes fade out into a semi-trance, and she answers absently, “I want to catch my father’s killer.”

The same answer she’d given the first time Lucifer asked. What did John mean it doesn’t work on Chloe? It worked on her just fine. It’s John, that his power doesn’t work on. He made him vulnerable.

Lucifer makes a note to check if he can bleed around John next time he comes back.

 _If_. If he comes back.

He hopes John comes back.


	8. I'm No Angel

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lucifer rolls over to look at him and John gives him a grin, “Hey, handsome.”

**20 August, 2018**

* * *

Half a year has gone by and no sign of John Constantine. Three months ago, Lucifer was starting to worry that John was never coming back, especially after their talk at the precinct. Two months ago, he started to wonder if that really was the last time he’d see his John, not present (or is it past?) John, and that he was already dead and Lucifer was too late. A month ago, Lucifer almost hooked up with a guy who looked a lot like John out of drunken sadness, but stopped himself because no matter the uncanny resemblance, he was still, in fact, not John.

And now it’s six months since he’d left. Chloe asked him a few times if John is coming to visit; she still didn’t believe that he is the actual devil from the bible, and therefore obviously doesn’t believe that John is actually a time-travelling warlock. Lucifer has no answer for her every time. Saying he’ll return soon could sooner be a lie than just hope and denial.

But even Amenadiel asks him about John, for Dad’s sake. He always asks him if John will come back soon because Lucifer always looks so sad. Yeah, maybe Lucifer is sad, that his angelic ego has kept him from saving John, and now it may have been too late. Now, when he has him, he may be too late.

“You can’t keep thinking about him forever,” Amenadiel says, pouring Lucifer a drink at his home bar. He accepts it and downs it in one go, setting the glass down loudly.

“I wish I could, but I can’t,” Lucifer says. “Every day, I wake up and I think about him. It’s always him and I might have driven him to his grave.”

Amenadiel leans against the bar top and comforts, “It’s not your fault. The Anti-Monitor is a pain for everyone. And I don’t think it’s too late for you to fix things, save him.”

“That’s oddly optimistic,” Lucifer replies, glancing up at his brother. “I just told you he wipes out everyone from existence. They’re not even atomic.”

His eyes flick up to someone behind him and says, “Just being realistic. Turn around.” Lucifer turns and follows his line of sight, mouth falling open when he realises it is John. Amenadiel says quietly, “I’ll give you two some privacy.” As he walks to the elevator, he smiles to John, “Constantine.”

“Amenadiel,” John calls back, watching the elevator doors close behind Amenadiel. Once they’re alone, John walks up to Lucifer and cups his face, kissing him, “Hey, angel.”

When they break apart, Lucifer mumbles against John’s lips, “I’m no angel.” John has no answer to that -- he knows Lucifer would never listen even if John told him he’s the best angel he knows -- but he just grazes Lucifer’s cheekbone with his thumb before pulling away to make his way to the mini bar.

“How long?”

“Six months.”

“I’m sorry, love,” John says quietly. “If I could control these jumps, you know I’d never leave.”

“I know,” Lucifer nods. There has got to be something, a word to describe this feeling. Lucifer hasn’t known him long, if it’s in John’s time. It’s probably been under a week, if he adds up all the hours they’ve spent together each time. And yet, he has this strange confidence that John would never leave him even if he had the chance.

“It’s August, yeah?” John asks. “Christmas is coming up in four months. What are you doing then?”

“I’m going to Earth-1,” Lucifer finally says.

John raises an eyebrow, faint smile on his face, “Strange holiday plans.”

“No, I mean... I’m going to help you with the Anti-Monitor,” Lucifer clarifies. “I don’t... I don’t know what it is about you, John. This... _This_. This is the best I’ve ever felt. No drug or drink I’ve ever had makes me as high as I am when I’m with you. I can’t lose you, not if I can do anything about it.”

John’s smile melts into something a little more serious and yet, endearing. “Really?”

“I don’t lie,” Lucifer says. “So, take me. Come on.”

“I can’t do that, apparently. If I’m jumping around time until it catches up with the present, it means I can’t take passengers,” John frowns. “On 10th of December next year, I’ll swing by with two of Oliver Queen’s buddies. Go with me then.”

“That you won’t remember anything between us, right?” Lucifer asks. He knows how time travel works, but this stupid feeling of hope he has around John is simply leaking into his common sense.

“That me isn’t your me, so to speak,” John affirms, lighting a cigarette. He takes a long drag of it before passing it to Lucifer to smoke from. “I wish that me would remember. He won’t even remember that we were supposed to hook up the night I helped you with Maze, because we erased that.”

Lucifer nods absently, inhaling the smoke and feeling it in his lungs. He exhales it slowly and returns the cigarette to John. He shrugs off his blazer and starts working on getting his tie off. “Do you have the time to spare?”

John instantly puts out the cigarette in Lucifer’s ashtray, nodding as he takes his own trench coat off, “I always have time for you, love.”

And then they’re kissing, tugging clothing off one another until they’re in Lucifer’s sheets. They press against one another so tight that, aching for every bit of contact they can get, that neither man knew where they stopped and the other began.

Lucifer can’t get enough of John. It doesn’t help that he only gets to see him for only hours out of a whole year. His hands touch any bit of exposed skin on John’s body, kisses everywhere he can. Memorises the way John’s lips feels against his own, tangles his fingers in his blonde hair. And the way John sounds... Lucifer loves it. The way he mumbles Lucifer’s name in a dazed trance, letting euphoria take over his senses.

And after they’re done, when they’ve come down, they lie down side by side. Lucifer’s thinking there’s just nothing better than this. He hears the shower, and the shuffling of John putting on his clothes.

Lucifer rolls over to look at him and John gives him a grin, “Hey, handsome.”

Then he’s glowing, and Lucifer realises they’re out of time again. He doesn’t care that he’s still naked, he walks over and cups John’s face, pressing a final kiss to his lips before his hands are empty once more.


	9. Grace Is Just Weakness (Or So I’ve Been Told)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I’m not good at the whole talking about emotions thing,” Lucifer starts. “But I’m going to miss you.”

**25 December, 2018**

* * *

Chloe invited Lucifer over to spend Christmas with her and the small human Trixie, mainly due to Detective Douche not being available. Still, it meant he would have company -- good company, in fact. Chloe was apologetic about John not being able to be there for the holidays and had taken it upon herself to include him in her celebration.

“Lucifer, I made you a present,” Trixie says, sitting on the couch next to him.

“What?” He asks, eyeing the small parcel in her hands. It looks like it’s probably a toy or something. Just then, someone knocks on the door. He looks over at Trixie as if to ask if he can leave her.

Trixie says, “It can wait.”

When he opens the door, he’s greeted by John, smiling tired yet happy, and he turns to look at Trixie, “You got me John for Christmas?”

Trixie stares between the two of them before she hides her parcel under a cushion pillow, nodding, “Yep. Merry Christmas, Lucifer.”

John cups Lucifer’s face to pull him into a kiss, smiling against his lips, “Hello, handsome.” Lucifer kisses him deeper, dragging him through the door by his tie. When he pulls away, Chloe comes back into the living room.

“John,” she says, surprised. “Lucifer didn’t say you were dropping by. I’m sorry, if I’d known, I would have prepared more food.”

John shakes his head, “I wanted to surprise him. Hope you don’t mind.”

“Of course not! I think I’ve got something I can cook really quickly for you,” Chloe says, shooting a glance back to the kitchen in thought.

John quickly says, “No, love, it’s okay. I’m not sure how long I can stay and I’m not hungry.”

Chloe nods, “If you say so. Dinner’s ready in ten minutes, guys.” She walks over to pick up Trixie in her arms, carrying her to the kitchen, “Come on, Monkey. Let’s give them a minute. Come help me set the table.”

Once they’re gone, John says, “I think this is the last one.”

Lucifer’s smile drops, “What? Why? What happened?”

John shrugs, letting his hands run down the length of Lucifer’s arms, “Just got a feeling. Listen, Luci, I don’t know if the me next December will remember all of this or not, but on the off chance he doesn’t...” He takes his coat off, folding it up and holding it out to Lucifer. “Have my coat.”

“You’re not going to die, John,” Lucifer says, bewildered. “No need for memorabilia. The Anti-Monitor can’t kill me. I’ll win.”

“I know. I trust you,” John says. “I mean that the coat will let me know that things are all good with us. He’ll know I sent you.”

Lucifer frowns. “Why?”

“There’s a reason I don’t go passing my coat around, love,” John says, lip quirking into a smile. “I’ll know.”

“Okay,” Lucifer relents, taking the coat from him.

Chloe returns and says, “Dinner’s ready if you are.”

John nods to her from behind Lucifer and is about to walk over when Lucifer cuts in, “I’m sorry, Detective. I want to talk to John first.” Chloe smiles and gives him a thumbs-up, saying that she’ll just go ahead and start without him. With that, Lucifer and John leave the house to talk in private on the front lawn.

When they’re alone, John asks, “What did you want to say, love?”

“I’m not good at the whole talking about emotions thing,” Lucifer starts. “But I’m going to miss you.”

“Me too, but we’ll see each other again,” John placates.

“You don’t know if you’ll remember any of this,” Lucifer counters. He conjures up his Pentecostal coin and takes John’s hand, placing it in his open palm. “Take it.”

John frowns, staring at the coin, “This is yours.”

“And I’ll know if you remember this if you have the coin with you,” Lucifer explains. “Like how you’ll know me if I have your coat. I’ll know it’s you if you have my coin.”

“Okay, Luci,” John relents, keeping the coin safely in his pocket. He starts glowing a soft blue, the same blue Lucifer seems to have grown to hate, and he kisses him goodbye, gentle and slow and longing.

Then Lucifer is alone again, but this time it feels final. He returns to the house again and at the absence of John, Chloe asks, “He had to go?”

“Yes, he had an appointment,” Lucifer answers. It’s not a lie, he did have an appointment on 10 December next year. Trixie runs over to the couch and grabs her present, holding it up to him.

“Open it.”

He hesitatingly tears off the ribbon and wrapping paper (which is just the comics pages from the newspaper) and sees what it is -- a handmade angel ornament. It’s covered in glitter that sticks to Lucifer’s fingertips and is a painful shade of red that looks pinker than anything.

“My friend Susie told me Lucifer is an angel,” Trixie explains. “And you’re Lucifer, so I made that for you.”

“Thank you, small child,” Lucifer says, looking over the ornament.

“I’m sorry about John,” Trixie says. “I know my present isn’t him, but...”

“No, it’s good,” Lucifer says, reluctantly letting her hug his waist. It’s not a lie, again; it’s good craftsmanship for someone of her age, at least. And he could tell it was an angel without her telling him. That’s good, right?

And still, he misses John already.


	10. I’ll Walk Through Hell and Back Again

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Always a pleasure to see you, Luci,” John replies, smile on his face. “It’s time.”

**10 December, 2019**

* * *

It’s been just under a year since John last appeared. In April, Lucifer accepted that he was no longer coming back and he had to wait for Present John to arrive and ask for his help.

Since John left on Christmas last year, Lucifer had taken to wearing John’s trench coat almost every day. He only didn’t wear it if he was worried that it’d get dirty, like when he and Chloe visit crime scenes.

Though Lucifer had assured her time and again that things were perfectly fine between him and John, Chloe was convinced that they had broken up and Lucifer just didn’t want to talk about it. She occasionally came over with ice cream and comedy movies, sometimes with her daughter in tow, to keep him company. While Lucifer didn’t understand why she just won’t believe him about John, he also liked spending time with her, so he never complained.

It’s already 10th of December, so Lucifer has spent the entire day watching doors, waiting for John to walk right back into his life. John didn’t come by at the precinct and Lucifer had been there all day. At night, he retires to Lux to spend time with nightclubbers. He hasn’t even had fun with any strangers since he admitted to John that he loved him, he couldn’t bring himself to do that to him even though he would never know. Though, it is shooting himself in the leg that he hasn’t been able to do anything. He’s only a devil after all. When John gets back, he needs to get him into bed.

When the night has gotten dark, Lucifer decides to go for a drive. He can’t stop thinking if it’s already too late. John still hasn’t shown up and it’s almost eleven at night.

When he opens the back door of Lux to leave, he’s greeted by three people; a young blonde, a tall, dark man and none other than John Constantine, who very much has his coat.

“Always a pleasure to see you, Luci,” John replies, smile on his face. “It’s time.”

“Johnny,” Lucifer says, almost unbelieving that he’s really here. John’s eyes fall onto the trench coat Lucifer is wearing and he frowns slightly. Lucifer hopes John was right when he said he would know about them.

“I don’t know if you have an Oliver Queen on your world, but ours has... met some unpleasant ends,” the unfamiliar man says.

Trying to find some way to distract himself from how _John is not coming around at all_ , Lucifer turns to the man and says, “You remind me of my brother, by the way. Tall, dark, annoyed by me.”

“Are you gonna help us or not?” He asks flatly.

“Wait,” John says, holding up a hand. The girl and man stare at him, confused. “That’s my coat.”

“Yes.”

“I gave it to you?”

“Yes.”

“Bloody Hell,” he mutters, staring wide-eyed at him. He touches his own coat in thought and asks, “Does it change anything?”

“I’ll do more than retrieve Oliver’s soul,” Lucifer instantly offers. “I’ll come to your Earth and fight the Anti-Monitor.”

The girl furrows her brows, “Can he really help?”

John assures, “He could beat him, love. I’m just a human with some messed up magic. He’s the bloody devil. If an angel can’t beat the Anti-Monitor, I don’t know who can.”

“My father,” Lucifer fills in. “But I’m afraid all you’ve got is me.”

John stares at the coat on Lucifer’s shoulder in quiet contemplation before he nods decisively, “If you having my coat means what I think it means, then I wouldn’t have it any other way. Come on. We need to get ourselves an Oliver Queen.”

Lucifer says, “If we go back to Earth-1, I’ll get Oliver and then fight the Anti-Monitor. We could also get him and then go back. Your choice.” He cringes slightly; He’s being too eager to help. He can’t stop himself though, he hasn’t seen John in so long that even the version that doesn’t remember what they had was enough to send his heart into overdrive.

The girl says, “We should go back to Earth-1 to do it. His body’s there anyway.”

“Then let’s go,” the man says, already turning away.

“I’m Mia, by the way,” the girl introduces. “That’s John Diggle.”

Lucifer nods, only half-heartedly committing the names to memory, as he follows them back to Earth-1 to where the fight is. He doesn't mention the Pentecostal coin.


	11. Are You There, John? It’s Me, Lucifer Morningstar

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Slow down, love. We’ve got all the time in the world,” John points out.

**10 December, 2019**

* * *

Lucifer exhales slowly, hands shaking. He had underestimated how big a toll John being there would have affected his invulnerability. John had warned him, his voice a faint reminder at the back of his head, that his angelic powers went haywire around John sometimes.

During the fight when Lucifer got dealt a big hit when John was nearby and Barry Allen and Kara Danvers covered him, John ran over to check on him. Lucifer told him about it and John reluctantly decided to get as far as he can from the battlefield without being completely blindsided to the fight. Lucifer felt the power pump through his veins and he had newfound energy to fight.

It was almost not a fight when John was out of the weakening range. The Anti-Monitor couldn’t hold his own against an angel for long and Lucifer ultimately defeated him.

It’s done. The multiverse is saved.

Lucifer laughs breathlessly. It’s easy to take the Anti-Monitor down but the adrenaline that he has saved everyone is enough to knock the wind out of his lungs.

“You did it,” Barry cheers. Lucifer gives him a half-smile. Barry had seemed upset all day -- Lucifer credited it to Oliver’s death earlier on. He remembered Oliver saying they had something together.

“Well, it wasn’t all me,” he says. “Where’s John?”

“Ooh, I think he’s with Dinah,” Kara suggests, tiptoeing to look for her amidst the crowd of excited superheroes. She hesitates, “Did you mean Diggle or Constantine?”

“Constantine,” Lucifer specfies.

“Your warlock’s with Oliver,” Kate Kane says, walking past to get to Kara, who has a wide smile on her face as they hug. Lucifer mumbles thanks and is already off looking for them. Barry walks with him, wanting to talk to Oliver as well.

“You and Constantine...” Barry trails off, not wanting to intrude.

“You and Queen,” Lucifer says simply.

Barry pauses but smiles anyway, “Cool. I think you guys would be pretty good together. How did that happen? He doesn’t seem like the kind to just, you know, settle down.”

 _There’s a lot you don’t know about him_ , Lucifer thinks. He’d settled down with that bartender called Desmond, and he’d been willing to go all-in with Lucifer. He says instead, “Time’s too short, as it seems.”

“Yeah, I get that,” Barry nods. “Thanks for coming to help us, by the way.”

Lucifer nods silently, slowing his pace when he finally sees John and Oliver. They’re talking and John has a beautiful grin on his face that easily makes Lucifer happy. Barry picks up his speed and walks over to Oliver, hugging him. From where Lucifer is, he can’t exactly make out the words, but Oliver says something with a smile before he kisses Barry on the temple. John glances over and spots Lucifer. John has no coat. He reaches into his pocket and raises something into the air.

The Pentecostal coin.

Lucifer starts moving then, getting to him, and John meets him halfway, crashing their lips together. Lucifer chuckles against the kiss, tilting his head to deepen it. His fingers tangle themselves in John’s messy blonde hair and John pulls away for a second to say breathlessly, “Hello, handsome.”

“Come here,” Lucifer grins, pulling him closer by the tie. John laughs, cupping Lucifer’s cheeks as they kissed. Neither man has been this excited for a long time.

John asks, breaking the kiss for air. “How long?”

“A year. You’ve got a lot of making up to do, Johnny.”

“Slow down, love. We’ve got all the time in the world,” John points out.

“That we do,” Lucifer smiles. He kisses him and kisses him. They kiss until they’re laughing in joy. There is just no other place and no other time either of them would rather be.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry the last 3 chapters were so short!! But I posted them all at the same time to try and make up for it.
> 
> Anyway, that's the end of the fic! Thank you for following this story and I hope you liked it!


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